Boston Bruins

Bruins Postgame takeaways: Boston crushed by Columbus

Published

3 weeks ago

November 18, 2024

Christopher Hurley

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON – The Bruins offense felt flat once again against an aggressive Blue Jacket attack.

Former Bruin James Van Riemsdyk netted an insurance tally during a three-goal first period outburst, as Boston fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets, 5-1, Monday at TD Garden.

Boston went a paltry 1-for-6 on the power play, surrendering a pair of shorthanded goals. Meanwhile, top sniper David Pastrnak along with center Pavel Zacha were held without a shot.

“I’m definitely not happy with the way things are going,” said Bruins team captain Brad Marchand. “We need to be much better in a lot of areas. Mistakes are going to happen in the game and we’re just compounding them. It’s not acceptable to continue to have the same mistakes and do the same things over and over. To have success we need to get a lot better.”

The loss couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Bruins (8-9-3), with coach Jim Montgomery remaining in the hot seat during his team’s lackluster 4-5-2 stretch.

“We’ll review the film and just keep building,” said Montgomery. “Keep demanding that we get to the level that we need to get too.”

Montgomery is no stranger to these kinds of lulls. He experienced a difficult 1-7-1 start in Dallas during the 2019-20 season, before the Stars rallied back to a 17-4-4 run. It is bounce-back efforts like that that keeps the coach confident in his team’s ability, even in its more dire time.

“There have been a couple of wins where I thought we were turning the page,” said Montgomery, who coached the Bruins an incredible 14-3-3 mark this time last season. “That hasn’t transpired. What you want in the first 20 games is to be not out of the playoff race. We’re not out of the playoff race.”

Read: Bruins Postgame Takeaways: Lack of Offense Has B’s Singing the Blues

Trailing 3-0 after a disastrous first period, Boston was unable to regroup, despite several good looks especially in the opening period. The Bruins fell behind early. Dmitri Voronov scored off partial breakaway 5:17 into the contest. And when Mathieu Olivier scored a backbreaking shorthanded goal less than six minutes later, the Jackets held the 2-0 cushion.

The Bruins offense remained snake bitten for most of the period. Boston got several decent looks from Brad Marchand, Tyler Johnson and Charlie Coyle, but Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins (29 saves) was equal to the task making 11 first period stops.

And when Van Riemsdyk netted the Blue Jackets third unanswered goal of the stanza, the boo birds erupted.

Charlie Coyle got Boston on the board in the second period, scoring a power play goal off a behind-the-net feed from Justin Brazeau. The goal seemed to give his team some life. Boston outshot Columbus 21-16 after two periods of play.

But the hope quickly faded in the third period. Cole Sillinger set up Justin Danforth the Jackets second shorthanded goal of the night, off a Mason Lohrei turnover giving them all the momentum they’d need. Columbus crashed the net again with Yegor Chinakhov cashing in with 5:50 to play building an insurmountable 5-1 cushion.

According to Marchand his team needs to better its approach.

“I think it always starts with the compete level, first and foremost,” said Marchand. “In this league you have to have the highest compete every night to be a good team. We’ve had it at times. When we do, we do really good. Then there are moments in the game where we think we’re a skilled team and everyone plays through the middle of the ice. Thats not us. We have to understand what our identity is and play to that.”

ICYMI: Bruins Winger David Pastrnak Reveals Off-Season Injury

Swayman still shaky

Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman came under fire surrendering three first period goals, including a backbreaking shorthanded tally from Mathieu Olivier, which proved to be the difference maker.
The all-star netminder entered the game sporting a pedestrian 5-6-2 record, 3.35 goals against average and .888 save percentage.

He has allowed three or more goals 10 times this season, and four more six times in 14 games. This included a season-worst seven goals against outing in Dallas, in a 7-2 loss against the Stars, Nov. 14.

“I need to step up,” said Swayman. “And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Viel gets the call

The Bruins recalled tenacious forward Jeffrey Viel from Providence.

The left winger wasted little time introducing himself to the TD Garden faithful tangling with Mathieu Olivier, in a first period fight, seconds into his first NHL shift. Both traded some heavy rights with Olivier getting the better of the exchange.

Undaunted, Viel continued to try to energize the team, delivering a heavy hit on David Jiricek midway through the first leading to a rugby scrum. He even goaded Dmitri Voronov into high sticking penalty in the second period.

Viel, 27, appeared in 14 games with the Providence Bruins this season, netting two goals and four points. The 6-foot-1, 213-pound forward has skated in 295 career AHL games with Providence, M anitoba and San Jose, recording 64 goals and 73 assists for 137 points. Viel has also played in 49 career NHL games, all with San Jose, notching three goals and two assists for five points. The Rimouski, Quebec native was originally signed by San Jose as a free agent in 2019.

Bruins salute military

The Bruins honored military members, veterans and their families during Military Appreciation Night.

Select Bruins players purchased over $20,000 in tickets for active military members and veterans to Monday’s game. They included John Beecher, Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, Tyler Johnson, Max Jones, Mark Kastelic, Cole Koepke, Mason Lohrei, Charlie McAvoy, Andrew Peeke and Jeremy Swayman. The players met service members from the USO and various military organizations whose tickets they purchased.

The Bruins also recognized Logistics Specialist Submarine Mekhi Jones and Hospital Corpsman Second Class Petty Officer Janique Jones as the Community All-Stars, presented by Massachusetts State Lottery. Mekhi served in the U.S. Navy for eight years, while Janique has dedicated five years of service. Both have earned multiple awards throughout their careers, including the prestigious Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.